This acclaimed actor has charmed the world with his comedic chops in various films. For his iconic work in the 2004 film “Ray,” he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy.
However, the 55-year-old actor is not just a movie icon; he is also a dedicated father to his two beautiful daughters, Corinne Foxx and Annalise Bishop. Many fans admire how close he is to his daughters.
He might be a doting parent to his children, but his own parents abandoned him as a child. Luckily, he had some family members who were willing to raise him and turn him into the person his fans know today.
Who Brought up the Future Star?
In an interview with television host Oprah Winfrey in 2012, he revealed how his childhood experiences made him a devoted family man. Born as Eric Marlon Bishop in Terrell, Texas, on December 13, 1967, he was only seven months old when his birth parents, Louise Annette Talley and Darrell Bishop, divorced.
He credited his maternal grandmother Estelle Talley for raising him. Estelle, and his late grandfather Mark, stepped in and adopted their grandson. Under his late grandparents’ care, he grew up playing the piano, joined the church choir, and became the church’s music minister.
Learning the Piano
The future star wanted to become a famous musician like Lionel Richie and the gospel groups Clark Sisters and Commissioned. He also played the piano because his grandmother wanted him to earn through music, with him saying:
“She said, ‘I want to make sure you play the piano because I think that can get you on the other side of the tracks.'”
The singer said his grandmother, who passed away in 2004, knew from the start that there was a way for them to earn more. The comedian shared that they were living on a fixed income at Pleasantville.
His piano skills led him to win a classical piano scholarship to the United States International University in San Diego, California. It was an opportunity for him to explore new places outside of Texas.Amid his excitement, he was anxious to meet new people because he came from a Black household, which led him to experience racism every day. He was afraid he would be alienated because of his skin.
At the university, his worries melted away after meeting diverse students from different countries. He felt relieved that he met peers from London and Senegal who looked like him.
Growing up Confident
Estelle’s grandson’s confidence grew as he honed his skills at the university until adulthood. The “Django Unchained” actor said being confident was what he learned from his grandmother. He added:
“She knew who she was. And with the love she and my grandfather extended to me, she passed on that confidence.”Although his biological parents abandoned him as an infant, he said he never ran short on love because his grandparents supported him throughout his life. The star’s parents were sadly not close to him growing up.
Distant Parents
Like any other abandoned child, Jamie Foxx revealed he hoped that his parents would show up later in his life. The award-winning actor shared that he saw his “good-looking” mother Louise, but she appeared distant.
Seeing that his father had no regard for him, Jamie realized that his father’s presence was unnecessary in his life.
While Jamie admitted he missed his mother, he said he didn’t talk to her. Meanwhile, he said that his father’s absence affected him the most because of his religion, which is Islam. The actor recalled Darrell, whose Islamic name is Shahid Abdullah, once drew a line in the sand…CONTINUE READING